Imperial Expedition
by Spleriia Emperor Splerii
Summary: On an expedition trip to Japan, an ageing warship boarded by a Pacific emperor and his small entourage of nobles and soldiers sailed towards an unknown location that seems to have mysteriously drew them in. Would the entourage return back to their own world in one piece?
1. Chapter 1

In a port located in eastern Imperial Splena, a fairly large warship was being moored and loaded. On the docks, a man wearing a Qing uniform was debriefing a few soldiers that was joining him on a faraway expedition.

'Gentlemen, we're going to embark on an expedition to Tokyo. This would be our first trip to Japan as well, so be prepared.'

'Yes, Sire!'

The other soldiers armed with bayonet muskets, carrying knapsacks and wearing Beiyang Army uniforms boarded the ship. A male wolf-dog wearing an imperial uniform approaches to the man.

'Dad.'

'Yes, Kalir?'

'We're all set to go.'

'Alright then. Let's get going then. The Mikado would be waiting for our arrival.'

'Okay.'

Kalir boarded the ship as well. The wolf-dog's father then looked at the city outskirts that was just behind him. He let out a sigh as he would see the Chinese-styled buildings for the last time before the departure.

'Sayonara, Splena. I'll be back soon.'

He then boarded the ship and went to the bridge. Inside, the captain and his crew were already there. They all bowed down as the monarch entered inside.

'Whaji Davay, Emperor Splero. We're all set to go.'

'Very well then, Captain Philips. Start up the engines and set a course for Japan.'

'As his Majesty commands.'

Philips then grabbed a radio.

'Engine room, all ahead full.'

'All ahead full!'

The ship started to move as the engine started and smoke begins to billow out from the smokestacks. The anchor was raised and the ageing vessel was sailing away from the harbor and onward to the vast Pacific Ocean. The Emperor's entourage was now on its way to Japan.

...

Somewhere and mysteriously faraway, Wigglytuff was just stepping out from the Guild alongside with Chatot and Bidoof. A breeze makes their furs flutter.

'Ah, yes! What a fresh breeze.'

'You really care for your feathers, Chatot?'

'Squawk! N-No! I mean, yes! Y-Yes indeed, Guildmaster!'

'Whoa there, Chatot. Calm down. I'm just asking you.'

'Huh? Oh. I'm sorry. I never expect for you to ask me that.'

'What do you mean?'

'Urk. Nothing.'

Bidoof coughed a bit.

'Should we get moving to Treasure Town, guys?'

'Sure thing, Bidoof but what's with the rush?'

'Well. I wanted to check my Poke and other supplies that I stored at Duskull Bank and Kangaskhan Storage.'

'I see.'

Wigglytuff looked at Bidoof.

'Are you going somewhere, Bidoof?'

'Yes, Guildmaster. I'm going to accomplish a job that I picked for Beach Cave.'

'Oh. I see. Well then. Let's get to Treasure Town right now, guys.'

The trio then departed. After a short walk from the guild, they all saw Chimecho. She was just floating near to the trail that leads to Beach Cave.

'Hey, Chimecho.'

'Oh. Hello there, guys.'

'What are you doing in there?'

'Just gazing something.'

'With that?'

'Nothing. I'm just gazing the branches of the trees that was rustling in the breeze.'

'I see.'

Bidoof approaches towards her.

'Say, Chimecho. I'm going to do a job at Beach Cave shortly.'

'You do?'

'Yeah. By golly, I need to get myself ready first before I go right in.'

Chimecho giggled.

'Good Luck on your task there, Bidoof.'

'Thanks. I'll try my best!'

'Anyway, where are you guys going?'

Chatot flapped his wings a bit.

'We're just heading to Treasure Town just to mingle ourselves with the others there. Want to join in the stroll?'

'No thanks, Chatot. You go ahead with Bidoof and the Guildmaster. I'm heading to Spinda's Cafe shortly to get a drink.'

'Alright then, Chimecho. Suit yourself.'

Chatot then looked at the other duo.

'Come on, everyone. Moving on.'

Wigglytuff, Chatot and Bidoof departed. Chimecho gazed the distant treeline for a bit before she hovered towards Spinda's Cafe.

...

Elsewhere, the departing ship was now sailing through the Pacific Ocean. The ageing warship was traveling at a dead slow speed since its boilers and other machinery were old and in poor shape. Its iron-hulled armor and armament of cannons mounted on the turrets were also over-aged and obsolete as well but no one would raise doubts for concern since the ship didn't wanted to be modernized by Splero because of his resistance to foreign renovation or modernization. Nevertheless, he still commands a fleet of ageing warships back home and most of them were his prized machines that he purchased from China and Spain.

Looking through a pair of binoculars, Splero was just checking over the horizon at the ship's bridge while Captain Philips reviewed the map and compass. As the monarch lowered down his hands, Philips stowed away the navigational aids.

'I think we would arrive at Suruga Bay in about 6 hours, Sire.'

Splero gasped in surprise.

'6 hours, you say?!'

'Yes. The ship could only move at a speed of 11 knots so that's why.'

'Can you at least increase the ship's speed to the max, Captain Philips?'

'I could but we might break down the boilers if we do so.'

'Don't worry about it. Set the speed to full ahead.'

'But, Your Majesty.'

'Just do it, Captain. That's an order.'

Philips sighed.

'Yes, Sir.'

He then reminded the crew with his radio.

'Engine room, full ahead. Full speed.'

'Full speed ahead acknowledged!'

The engine noises grew louder and as much blacker smoke billowed out from the two smokestacks, the warship was now sailing full ahead.

Philips then looked at Splero.

'We're now at full speed, Your Highness.'

'Good. Just remind me if there's anything else that I need to know about. I'll head back to my cabin and check on my son.'

'Very well, Emperor Spleriia.'

Splero leaves the bridge. Philips continued on keep the ship on course to its path for Japan. Minutes later, a beeping alarm started to sound which makes the captain uneasy.

'Oh dear. Not the boilers again.'

With a sigh, he pressed a button to silence it.


	2. Chapter 2

Kalir was just relaxing inside the cabin. While reading a booklet written in Japanese, Splero entered inside.

'Hey there, Dad.'

'What are ya doing, Son?'

'Oh. Just reading some Japanese.'

'I see. Very well.'

Splero sat down beside his canine heir.

'We're be arriving at Japan in about 6 hours.'

'6 hours? Whoa there, Splero. That's a long time interval. The Mikado and his cabinet might not wait anymore longer.'

'There's nothing we can do, Kalir. The SS Whaji Keang's boilers were in such poor shape and we can't force its engines to take the speed to the max in order to speed things up and make up lost time.'

'I know that, Dad. I know that long ago.'

Splero sighed.

'It's hard to do some maintenance on these ships brought from nations that were no longer have a global naval capability.'

Kalir went confused.

'What do you mean?'

'What am I saying is that this ship was being brought from Qing China. This obsolete warship needed everything that we Splenish don't have. We don't have any equipment and spare parts that were compatible with this vessel.'

'Oh. I understand that one, Dad.'

'Yes. You will, Kalir.'

The wolf-dog lowered down his booklet.

'But why would you purchase these such ships. People all over the world even say that the Empire's navy was poised to great decline because much of the ships of the entire fleet were ageing, obsolete and past their pride.'

'Let me tell you something, Son. The reason why i bought these ancient vessels is because I wanted to put them to good use. With their previous owners fallen out of line, who would going to look after it? Obviously, we can't let it to be rusted into despair and desolation for nothing, Kalir. I know that refusing to buy some modern era ships and buying ancient warships would sound stupid to some foreign observers but to me, they are nothing. I know the risks of using these things. If we lose these ships one day, at least we could say to them that we did use them with our pride, honor and dignity.'

Kalir was feeling a bit inspired by his father's words.

'I know what you were referring but I would say that was quite patriotic of you, Dad.'

'Thanks, Son.'

A series of knocks was then heard from the door.

'This is the Imperial living quarters. What is it?'

'Sire, this is Borisco reporting. Captain Philips wants to see you in the bridge!'

'What's the rush, Commander Borisco?'

'We have a problem, Your Majesty!'

Splero groaned and he stood up.

'Got to head back to the bridge, Son. Duty calls.'

'Alright, Dad. I'll be here then.'

'Okay.'

The monarch opened the door and confronted Borisco.

'Alright, Commander. Come with me then.'

...

At the bridge, alarms were blaring. So loudly that Philips had to covers his ears with his bare hands. The other crew members with him were also trying their best to silence the alarms or to troubleshoot the cause of the alarms.

'What's with the alarm?!'

'I don't know, Captain but I have a bad feeling about this!'

'Wait! All of the boilers were damaged, Captain!'

'Are you sure?!'

'Yeah!'

Splero and Borisco arrived.

'Captain Philips, what's going on and why the alarms blaring off like haywire?'

'Your Majesty, the boilers were all out.'

'What do you mean that the boilers were all out?!'

'Sire! The engine's damaged now. If we haven't pushed it further a moment ago, this would never happen!'

Splero wouldn't reply back since Philips' words were basically true in the first place. Realizing that it was his fault at all, he immediately orders a simple command.

'All hands, mount the sails on our masts. We're sailing from now on, guys.'

'Yes, Sire!'

Philips manage to silence the alarms and everything went quiet for now. Splero then approaches to him.

'Captain. I guess you're right and all about this. I'm sorry for not listening to your advise.'

The captain simply sighed and he tapped the Emperor's shoulder.

'No worries, Sire. At least our trip to Japan didn't go in vain.'

Splero nodded.

'Yep. It is.'

...

As the Kecleon brothers were busy in organizing their merchandises, Wigglytuff, Chatot and Bidoof arrived and they greeted them.

'Hello there, Kecleons!'

'Hello, Guildmaster. What can we do for you and the others today?'

'We wanted to check if there's anything that we could buy.'

'Ah, sure thing!'

The Kecleons shown to the trio some of the newly delivered Big Apples, Max Elixirs, Reviver Seeds, fancy TMs and so far and so fourth.

'Wow. These were a lot to choose from, guys!'

'Indeed. All of these were newly arrived to the shelves, Chatots. From different places around Treasure Town and beyond!'

'By golly, I wanted to buy some but I don't know what I choose for my mission later.'

'Oh? You have a mission?'

'Yep. I'm going to help a Krabby who had lost his way inside of Beach Cave. The reward would be 250 Poke.'

Kecleon chuckled.

'That's great! Good Luck on that one then, Bidoof.'

'T-Thanks. Please excuse me, everyone. I'm going to check my inventories at the storage.'

Bidoof then went to Kangaskhan Storage. The Kecleon brothers looked at Wigglytuff and Chatot.

'He seems to be eager on his mission, Guildmaster.'

'He was.'

'Bidoof was always eager to go on ahead with the jobs that was posted from the Guild. I have nothing more to say about that at least.'

'I see.'

'How's the Guild, by the way?'

Wigglytuff smiled.

'All things were going smoothly in the Guild. Our members there were working on their jobs with such successes and there were even some other Pokemon who wanted to join us to become new guild members too!'

The Kecleon brothers smiled.

'That's great, Guildmaster. We're hoping to be looking forward to serve the other recruits with our fresh provisions and other goodies that we have in this shop then.'

Chatot squawked a bit.

'Of course you would, guys! The recruits would love to!'

'Great!'

Bidoof then returned. His Treasure Bag was obviously stuffed to capacity.

'Okay, guys. I'm all set to go for Beach Cave.'

'Sure thing, Bidoof. Good Luck!'

'Thanks, Guildmaster. I'm off now.'

Bidoof departed for Beach Cave while the others bid their goodbyes and godspeeds to him.


End file.
